The race for City Council, District 4

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -
It is a week until the primary election and the battle for the Honolulu City Council, District 4 seat is heating up.

Councilman Stanley Chang is in the race for Congress, leaving his seat wide open.

Four people will fight for Chang’s spot and one of them is his former aid, Trevor Ozawa.

But Ozawa says that doesn't mean he has the upper hand.

The other three candidates are posing a pretty stiff competition.

The area stretches from Hawaii Kai to Ala Moana Beach Park and the top priority seems to be the same across the board: homelessness.

Tommy Waters, who served three terms in the Hawaii State House of Representative, served as the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Chairman of the Committee on Higher Education as well as the Vice Chair of the Environmental Protection Committee has ideas brewing.

"Provide transitional housing…if it has to be a tent city or a city in Kalaeloa out of old dormitories, I think that's the first step. When you take people off the beach, give them that option," said Waters.

His opponent, Carl Strouble, says he's actually lived on the streets before and has worked his way up to become a successful businessman. He believes the homeless problem can be tackled and he is the right man for the job.

"It's the programs that are in place and have been in place. It's just with any program you have to upkeep it and the infrastructures that support those programs have to be up kept and they haven't been over the years," Strouble said.

Contender Natalie Iwasa has been a Certified Public Accountant for almost 17 years. She believes that's the upper hand she brings to the table.

"My main platform is the budget and how we're spending our money. I'm a CPA so I've been testifying down there for about four years and I've seen how they spend their money and I've seen a lot of waste and I think we can bring money in without increasing taxing and fees," said Iwasa.

Ozawa was born and raised in Hawaii Kai and now works as an attorney. His motto is from the community, for the community.

"Listening to voters and listening to their concerns. Two, I want to elaborate and cooperate with both the mayor's administration when I get in as well as the city council members. And third, I want to take action and actually get things done," Ozawa said.